Apparatus for pulling tape



Nov. l, 1938. .1. scAvALcANTE:

APPARATUS FOR PULLING TAPE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed -March l, 1932 :l A INVEN'roR Lmalhan S.

ATTORN Ys Nov. 1, 1938.

J. S. CAVALCANTE APPARATUS FOR PULLING TAPE original Filed March 1, 193; 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Jnat/zan S. faz/alcun@ www, @479M ATTORNEYJ Patented Nov. 1, 1938 `UNITED STATES APPARATUS Foa PUILING TAPE Jonathan S. Cavalcante, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Trans-Lux Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application March 1,

'1932, sei-iai No. 596,143

'AUG 2 6 1941 Renewed March 29, 1938 4 claims. (ci. zii-2.3)

My invention relates to apparatus for pulling or drawing a tape, web or the lilre.l

My invention, 'in a prominent phase thereof, relates to a tape-pulling arrangement operative in a highly satisfactory manner for pulling tape through. a projection "held, or equivalent.

Various other objects, advantages and characconnection with the accompanying drawings.

My invention resides in .the apparatus, arf 'rangements and features of the character hereinafter described and claimed. For an understanding of my invention and for 1J an illustration of one of the many vforms thereof, reference is to be had toV the accompanying drawings.` in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrative of a form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

I Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of novel mechanism controlled by tape tension in accordance with my invention; Fig. 3a is a perspective view of parts of a clutch device as constructed vin accordance with my invention; y

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line i--d of Fig. 3 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

' Fig. 4111s a plan view of parts' of the mecha- Y nism shown in Figs-3 and 4;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic elevational view of my .tape pulling arrangement showing the tape in non-tensioned condition between the projection iield and the printing mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic elevational view of my tape pulling arrangement showing the tape in 40 tensioned condition betwen the projection field and the printing mechanism;

Fig. 'I is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of partof the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a transversefvertical sectional view,

partly in elevation, andis taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 'I looking in. the direction of the arrows; and

i Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a part of the mechanism shown-ln Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, T represents any suitable tape or web such', for example, as issues from. any suitablmprinting mechanism vP herein illustrated as being a conventional stock ticker. '55; Asthe Aparts-are' related iii; Figs. 1 andv2, the tape are of felt whereas the washers l, 9, I I and I3 are materiaL Accordinglmwith the parts described .tions Gbare similarly retained in 'the slot Ila Therefore, if thesleeve G is 50 Ymovement, rotation of the shaft 4 imparts simif 'I is emitted from the printing mechanism P and then passes from left to right from said printing mechanismthrough or across any suitable projection iield F, Fig. 2. As is well understood in the art, tape issues from a stock ticker in a 5 fpulsating, irregular manner while, for projection l ?purposes, it is highly desirable that. the tape move teristics of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in" through the projection field in a regular, uniform manner. Inaccordance with my invention, the

latter is accomplished in a highly desirable and 10v novel way as will hereinafter be described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, .I represents any suitable motor such, for example, as an'electric motor, the armature shaft of which operates a suitable endless chain 2, or equivalent, saidl5 chain driving a suitable sprocket wheel 3 secured to a shaft 4 for rotatable movement therewith.

The shaft i is journaled in a frame 5 which may be carried by the structure forming the projecnon seid F. 2

-Rotatable on the shaft is a sleeve '6 having suitable clutch devices coactable with the respective opposite ends thereof. lAccordingly, one end of said sleeve 6 may be provided with axially extending sections 6a, 6a, adapted to be received 25 in the transverse slot 'Ia of a washer 'l freely rotatable and slidable on the shaft di spaced from the washer 'I by a washer 8 of felt or the like is a washer 9 secured'to said shaft li for rotatable movement therewith by a suitable pin ,30 arrangement IU. The other end of the sleeve d may also be provided with axially extending sections Ib, 6b adapted to be received inthe transverse slot I Ia of a Washerl III freely rotatable'and sndabie on a reduced. end of the shaft t. spaced 35 from the washer I and disposed onsaid shaft 4 are washers I2 and i3, the washer I2 being of felt or the like. Coactable with the outer face of the, washer I3 is a spring "I6 maintained under tension by the nut I5. Y

As stated; the washers 8 and I2, preferably,

preferably of metallic or other non-yieldable above positioned as shown in Fig. 3 and with the 45 spring I4 under suitable tension, it results that the sleeve sections 6a are yieldingly retained in the slot la of the washer 1 and. the sleeve secof the washer II. substantially free from restraint against turning@ lar rotative movement to said sleeve 6, this ac-ii tion occurring because ofthe driving relation obtaining by reason of the disposition of the sleeve REI-stun) sections 6a and 6b in the respective slots 1a and IIa.` However, if a force of suiilcient magnitude is appliedto the sleeve 6 resistant to rotation thereof, the spring I4 becomes compressed whereby the parts slide axially of the shaft 4 to disengage the sleeve sections 6a and 6b from the respective' slots 1a and IIa. Under such circumstances, rotation of the shaft 4 continues while the sleevev 6 remains stationary.

Suitably secured to the sleeve 6 for rotative movement therewith is a collar I6 of suitable electricity-insulating material, such as hard rubber. `'Ihe collar I6 may comprise a.l hub I6a which carries segmental members I1,. I1, Fig. 4a, formed from suitable electricity-conducting nietallic material. As shown, the members I1, I1-

conducting material. said screw 2l being threaded into one of the segmental members I1. The contact member is pivoted on a screw 22 of electricity-conducting material, said screw 22 being threaded into the other segmental member I1.- The contact member 20 comprises a tail section 20a utilizable as hereinafter described, and said of opposite the aforesaid notch 24e.

contact member 20 is suitably biased in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 4, as by a; spring 23 havy ing one end suitably secured to the aforesaidvable on the aforesaid sleeve 6. The sleeve 24h to the right of the lateral wall section 24a is formed with a V-shaped notch 24c which receives a corresponding V-shaped member 25 carried on the exterior surface of the sleeve 5. As shown; the dimensions of the member 25 are somewhat smaller than those of the notch 24e, whereby the roller 24 is permitted limited rotative movement on and with respect to the sleeve 6. Otherwise, the member 25 serves as a key which retains the roller 24 on the sleeve 6 so as to rotate therewith.` The aforesaid lateral wall section 24a, on the same side thereof as the aforesaid notch 24e, carries a member 26 covered by a member 21 of suitable electricity-insulating material, the tail section 26a on the contact member 20 being adapted to coact therewith as hereinafter described.

'I'he` hereinbefore described wall section 24a may have an opening 24d extending therethrough and said wall section 24a carries a member 28 projecting laterally therefrom on the side there- One end of a helical spring 29 is secured to the member 28 while the other end of said spring 29 coactsV with a member 30 laterally carried by a ring 3I secured in a desired rotated position on the sleeve 6 by a set screw 32.

Depending from the frame 5 is a suitable bracket 33, Fig. 3, to which a sheet 34 of suitable electricity-insulating material is suitably secured, the latter supporting spaced contact members 35, 35 which, at their upper ends, are adapted to ride upon the hereinbefore described segmental 36 which leads to one terminal of the motor I, the other contact member 35 having connected thereto a conductor 31 which leads to one terminal of a suitable source of current, not shown, the other terminal of which is connected by a conductor 38 tc the other terminal of said motor,` I.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, theaforesaid frame y 5 is shown as carrying a lateral roller 39 beneath which'the tape T passes after leaving the projection eld. Beyond the roller 39, the tape T engages the upper section of the roller 24 and ls suitably maintained in driving engagement therewith, as by a roller structure 40 carried by a lever 4I pivoted at- 42 to said frame 5, the roller 40 being biased in any suitable manner toward the roller r2li. Beyond the last named roller, the tape T may pass beneath a roller 43 extending laterally from the frame 5 and then, if desired, to a rewind reel 44 rotatably carried by an upwardly extending section 5a of the frame 5. The rewind reel 44 may be operated -in any suitable manner, as by a spring belt 4 5 which rotates a pulley carried by the shaft of the vrewind reel,

.said belt 45 being operated by a pulley 46 carried by the aforesaid shaft 4, Fig. 4.

In accordance with one phase of my invention,

"there may be disposed at the entrance to thev projection eld a novel arrangementfor applying a retarding force to the tape T each time that operation of the printing mechanism P is discontinued- This arrangement may take any one of a number of desirable forms but, as herein illustrated, is shown as comprising a frame 41 which is suitably secured, as by one or more screws 48, Fig..7, to that surface. of the projector which faces the printing mechanism vP. The frame 41 may have upwardly extending sections 41a, 41a, Fig. 2, for the passage of the tape T therethrough and it also preferably comprises a horizontal section 41h extending toward the printing mechanism P, said horizontal section 41b forming a support across which the tape T horizontally moves just prior to the entrance thereof into the projection eld F.

Depending from the horizontal frame section 41b isa plate section 49 which may be anchored in vertical position by a spacing block 50, a screw 5I extending through said plate section 49, said block and into the frame'41 to anchor said plate section 49 and block 58 in the position shown in Fig. 7. As is clearly shown on the drawing, the plate section 4 9 comprises a lower section 49a extending toward the projector, said `section 49a being interiorly formed with a curved e passageway 49b adjacent which the-tape passes to the plate section 49. Thus, as herein shown, Athe surface of the plate section 49 facing the projector has a spacing block 54 suitably secured thereto'and, along respective opposite Asides of' said block 54, members 55 are secured to said plate section 49 in spaced relation with respect to the rear surface thereof. The respective members 52 comprise'lateral sections 52a freely disposedbetween the plate section 49 and the'i other lateral section 52a being snugly received between the fork parts 52h. As af result, any

pivotal movement of one of the members 52 is transmitted to the other member 52 so that both are movable in unison.- As illustrated, each lateral section 52a'carries a member 51 to which the respective ends of a helical spring 53 are.'

suitably secured.

As clearly appears in the lower plate section 49a has a. member 59 secured thereto by a screw 50. As the member 50 is positioned in Fig. 8, the opposite ends thereof are ilush with the respective outer surfaces of said section 49a. However, the screw 50 may be slightly retracted and -the member 59 moved to a desired extent in a clockwise direction, Fig. 8; in so doing, the members 52 are swung on their respective pivots whereby they 'are spaced farther apart as desired whereupon the screw 5I! may be tightened. This operation is performed when it may become necessary to feed tape between the members 52 of a greater width than the distance between the inner surfaces of said members 52 when they are positioned as shown on the drawings. Y

It -shall be distinctly understood that my invention is not to be limited to the utilization of adjustable parts as described immediately above. Thus, for example, the members 52 may be secured in ilxed relation to the plate section 49, the

distance between said members 52 being so chosen, that they will readily receive tape of any width which may be fed through the projector.

The operation is as follows: I

When 'the tape T is in operative pulling position with respect to the various parts as shown in iigs.` l, 2 and 5, it will be noted that said tape extends from the printing mechanism P downwardly, more or less in free loop formation, then upwardly between the. members 52, and then through the passageway 49h where opposite edges of said tape are positioned adjacent the members 53, .respectively. Above said last named members, the tape passes vertically along .the plate section 49, then horizontally along the framesection 41h, between the members 41a,.and

thence into and across the projection field F.

Beyond the projection eld, vthe tape passes beneath the roller 39 and between the rollers 24 light, lenses, mirrors and a screen, not shownp' and 40, the latter holding the tape in driving engagement with the roller 24. Beyond the last named roller, the tape passes beneath the roller 43 and then upwardly to the rewind reel 44.

It will be understood that the projector mechanism, which includes the hereinbefore described' projection field F, comprises a suitable source of whereby images ofthe characters of any tape section in the projection neld are obtained on `the screen.

When the tape-pulling mechanism comprising,

the contact\member 20 is removed from the members 25, 21 as shown in Fig. e, and the contact members I9and 20' are closed. As a result,

Fig. 8, the rear face of the circuit through the'motor I is dosed, this circuit extending from one terminalv of the source of current to one terminal of said motor `I by way of the conductor 31, the contact member-35cm)- nected thereto, the segmental member I1 associated with said last named contact member 35,

the contact member I9 or 20 connected to said last named segmental member I1`, the other contact member I9 or 20, the segmental 'member I1 connected to the last named contact member, the contact member 35 associated with said last named segmental'member, and conductor 35. The other terminal of the motor I is connected to the other terminalof the source of current -The roller structure 40 retains the tape in engagement with the roller 24 and, accordingly, rotation of the latter causes the tape to bepulled through the projection field F for the useful purpose stated above.

The operation last described continues during operation of the printing mechanism P or while a more or less free tape loop exists around the members 53 as shown i-n Figs. 1, `5 and '1. However, when operation of the printing mechanism is discontinued, this more or less free loop is rather quickly eliminated during further operationof the roller 24. When said loop is thus eliminated, the tape is drawn into binding rela- Fig. 6 and, as a result, a retarding force is apvtion with respect to the. members 53 as shown in plied to the tape whereby it is placed under tenl sion. When the tape is thus retarded or placed under tension, rotative movement of the roller 24 is discontinued and, due to the then existing r0- tation ofthe shaft 4, the sleeve Ii, insulating member I6 and parts carried thereby move with respect to said roller.24 to the` extent permitted by the recess 24c. In so doing, the tailv section 20a is brought into engagement with the member 2.1 and the contact members I9 and 20 are opened to thereby'open the circuit of the motor` I which stops as soon as the' inertia of its armature is overcome.l

Due to thel fact that the anchored tape is now holding the roller24, sleeve 6, insulating member I5 and associated parts in stationary position, the

clutch devices atopposite ends of the sleeve 6 open to permit stopping of the motor 'amature as described 'abovewithout damage to the tape.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certain particular preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled iii-,the art after understanding the invention, thatvarlous changes and 'modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover4 all such changes and modications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be se' cured by Letters Patent is: l

1. In a tape-pulling system, coacting rollers for drawing a character-bearing tape through a projection field after ejectionthereof from a printing mechanism, av motor directly connected t0 one of said rollers, stationary surfaces with which said tape frictionally coacts to increase the tension thereof, said stationary surfaces constitutingthe sole means for applying friction to said tape, and means whereby such increase in the tape tension causes discontinuation of tape movement under the control of said motor.

2. In a tape-pulling system, means for draw` ing a character-bearing tape through a projection field 'after ejection thereof from a. printing mechanism, a stationary surface with which said tape frictionally coacts, when operation of said l printing mechanism is discontinued, to increase the tape tension, said stationary surface consti-- circuit of said motor in response td increase in tension of said tape and for operating said switch lto close the circuit `oi.' said motor in response to decrease in tension of said tape, .and clutch mechanism between said roller and motor.

4. In a tape-pulling system, means for drawing a character-bearing tape through a projection iield after ejection thereof4 from a printing mechanism, a motor directly connected to said means, stationary surfaces with which said tape frictionally coacts to increase the tension thereof when operation of said printing 'mechanism is discontinued, said stationary surfaces constituting the sole means for applying friction'to said. tape, and means whereby such increase in the tape tension causes discontinuation oi! tape movement under the control of said motor.

' JONATHAN S. CAVALCANTE. 

